Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Electric vehicles myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Forget the Year of the Snake, as far as the automotive world is concerned, 2025 is the year of the Chinese car. Towards the end of 2024, China’s share of the global electric-vehicle market reached 76 per cent and this year EVs are expected to outsell internal-combustion engine cars in the country for the first time. Although Chinese makers might be struggling to establish a foothold in the US, not helped by President Trump’s tariffs, they are increasing their presence in Europe and the UK. This year, 12 Chinese car brands are slated to launch in the UK, many of which already have a presence in Europe, such as Nio, Lynk & Co and XPeng. Those brands are set to join MG, BYD, GWM Ora and, more recently, Omoda and Jaecoo, which are already selling cars in the UK. The market place for new EVs from relatively unknown brands is growing, as is the rate of consumer confusion. So which brands are the best to buy?Starting with the most saturated segment, the SUV market is set to grow substantially with the arrival of new Chinese entrants, starting with the Jaecoo 7 and Omoda E5. Both models are fresh from parent company Chery International, one of China’s largest car companies with sales in 2024 of 2.6 million cars and 80,000 employees in more than 100 countries and regions. The Jaecoo brand is the premium sibling of Omoda, both of which have been devised specifically for expansion of international markets, with the name blending both the German word for hunter “Jäger” with, er, “cool”. The flagship 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid or Super Hybrid System (SHS) costs from £35,065, with a claimed range of 745 miles. It also comes equipped with lots of kit, such as a glass roof, eight-speaker Sony sound system and a large central touchscreen display. The all-wheel-drive 7 promises to have genuine off-road ability, with a claimed wading depth of 600mm, albeit the maker is yet to offer the 7 for public off-road tests. While it might not be particularly inspiring to drive doing the everyday stuff, it has enough going for it to tempt buyers away from spending a lot more on competitors such as the Mercedes GLA, BMW iX1 or Audi Q3 TFSIe. And it’s clearly taken inspiration from Land Rover products (not surprising given that Chery has had a tie-up with Jaguar Land Rover since 2012).The MG Cyberster does 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds – faster than the new Aston Martin VantageMG – the historic British brand bought by Chinese SAIC Motor in 2007 – has re-established itself in the UK market with a range of economical family cars, such as the MG3 Hybrid+ priced from £18,495. Its new flagship Cyberster electric two-seater sports convertible is priced from around £54,995, a striking sports car redolent of MG’s glory days. It accelerates from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds – faster than the new Aston Martin Vantage – and has a maximum range of 316 miles. Challenging MG for a share of the family car market is China’s best-selling manufacturer, BYD (Build Your Dreams). That brand sold 4.3mn EVs and hybrids in 2024, and launched in the UK in 2023. With the Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal already on sale, the larger Sealion 7 SUV is due to arrive early this year: it is priced from £44,990 with a stated range of up to 312 miles. Championing the small-car market is the electric Ora, which arrived in the UK in 2022 and looks like a mash-up between a Mini and Nissan Micra. Originally named the Funky Cat when it first launched, the city car – priced from £24,995 – changed its name to the less eccentric Ora 03 and the Pro and GT models are claimed to travel up to 260 miles per charge. While its friendly looks might appeal to some, the Ora will have a hard time coaxing Mini customers to switch, considering its high price point and lack of brand awareness. Already selling its hybrid-engined 01 compact SUV in Europe via a subscription model, Lynk & Co is due to bring the 01 to the UK this year. The 01 shares its underpinnings with the compact SUV Volvo XC40 (both brands are part of the Chinese Geely group), and the starting price of the 01 is expected to be around £30,000. Fellow Geely owned brand Zeekr is also set to bring its 001 grand tourer to the UK in 2025. Already on sale in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden and priced from €59,490, the model claims a range of up to 385 miles and 536bhp from its dual electric motors.The XPeng G6, which has just launched in the UK, has been dubbed the Chinese Tesla Model Y, due to the similarities between their styling, size and tech (in the UK prices are expected to be around £40,000; the Tesla Model Y starts at around £45,000). Similarly, Nio – which set a lap record around the Nürburgring in Germany with its EP9 hypercar in 2017 – is finally due to arrive in the UK in 2025 with its more pedestrian ET5 hoping to take on the Tesla Model 3. It’s already on sale in the Netherlands with a range of up to 360 miles. With solid build quality, styling and a little more brand awareness than its Chinese competitors, Nio is a promising alternative for those looking to make the Tesla switch. There’s a lot more to come from China. Perhaps the most outlandish models to be mulling a western launch come from BYD’s sub-brand Yangwang, which has already shown its Land Rover Defender-esque U8 SUV, which can float, and its 1,288bhp hypercar, the U9, which claims to be able to use its air suspension to jump over potholes or even perform a dance when static. While the marque knows how to create a buzz ahead of its planned arrival, Yangwang – like so many newcomer brands – will first need to prove it can convince car lovers to turn away from some of the oldest and most established car marques in the world.
